FAQs
Why is my computer running slower than when I first bough it?
When you first get a new computer it only has installed software required for basic use.
Over time as you download files, install software, and surf the Internet, your computer gets bloated with files that hog system resources. Some other major causes are:
- Software and hard drive corruption.
- Corrupted RAM data or not enough RAM.
- Static electricity (from carpet or other fabrics)
- Power surges, failing hardware, normal operating system decomposition with age.
- Installing unnecessary software.
- Updating your software regularly. Updates themselves take up more space and require more system resources.
What is a computer tune-up?
When your PC's performance deteriorates and error messages pop up, slow boot up, and constant crashes, a tune-up might be required.
Removing unnecessary files and programs, perform OS updates, free up space, defragment the hard drive, clean up the registry, restore to factory settings, run anti malware tools can be some of the required steps to perform a PC tune up.
Note. It can be time consuming and can take several hours.
Malware, Spyware, or Virus. Which one is affecting my system?
"Malware": short for malicious software. It is used as a single term to refer to virus, spyware, worm etc.
Virus is a program written to enter to your computer and damage/alter files/data. Viruses can also replicate themselves and is more dangerous than a computer worm as it makes changes or deletes your files while worms only replicates itself with out making changes to your files/data.
Spywares: - Spyware is a type of program that is installed with or without your permission on your personal computers to collect information about users, their computer or browsing habits, tracks each and everything that you do without your knowledge and send it to a remote user. It also can download other malicious programs from the internet and install it on the computer.Spyware works like adware but is usually a separate program that is installed unknowingly when you install another freeware type program or application.
For more information visit: http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/what-are-malware-viruses-spyware-and-cookies-and-what-differentiates-them
Windows PC vs. Apple. Which one is best?
There is no right or wrong here!
It comes down to two main factors to consider, the use intended for the machine and budget.
Apple's Mac is known to have excellent software and applications for graphic or multimedia design but most important, their models show more stability since they all have standard parts. The downside, limitation to customize them and limited variety. If you think that Apple can be a good option for you, make sure that the applications you work with, are compatible to run on Apple's Operating System.
Windows PCs, are offered in a myriad of models, styles, brands, etc. This allows the consumer to find a machine according to your budget, but the lack of standardization creates another compatibility issue between internal parts, peripherals and external devices.
Lastly, Windows operating system has shown to be vulnerable to security breaches and viruses attacks as compared to Apple computers. However, that has been changing and more and more cases of Malware infection on Apple machines are reported.
Overall, Apple devices are considered more expensive than Windows systems with similar specifications.
Is it worth to upgrade my old computer or should I buy a new one?
If the use and demand of your computer resources has increased and your computer is running too slow, you should consider getting a new one but if the intended use hasn't changed and the computer is running too slow for the lack of maintenance, then you can save yourself hundreds of dollars by doing a tune-up to your system.
What is remote support and how safe it is?
When the issue is software related (Operating System, software settings, malware, backups) and if there's a connection to the internet, a special program to connect and access securely your computer is possible.
That can save time and cost to the client and most important, the problem can be solved faster.
It is safe to access a computer remotely if the program used to perform the connection offers encryption and data protection.
Why I can't get Wifi signal everywhere in my house/office and how can I fix that?
The strength of the Wifi signal around your house depends of several factors:
- Building layout and type of construction.
- Location of the Wifi router considering previous factor.
- Quality of the Wifi device.
A site survey as well as looking into the specifications of the device are required to find a solution to the problem.
What's the CLOUD and how can I benefit from it?
You can think of the CLOUD as locations with thousands of servers and machines running processes for you or anyone that decides to do cloud computing.
You can have virtual computers running applications for you, store files, and collaborate with other people on the cloud.